There are well over 300 discovered planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. We have been finding evidence of extra-solar planets for over 20 years. Most are discovered by noticing a slight wobble in the star's position, caused by a large planet and the star both orbiting around a common center of mass; or from a slight dimming of light coming from the star, caused by the planet moving across the star's visible disk.

However, last week a new milestone was reached. NASA released the first pictures of planets orbiting around other stars. One of these is Fomalhaut b.

Fomalhaut is a 1st magnitude star that is visible in our evening skies right now. Though not very bright, it is brighter than anything in its local neighborhood and easy to spot on a clear, dark night. Fomalhaut is the brightest star in the constellation of Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is due south at about 7:30 pm, MST, and 20° above the southern horizon at transit.

Though you certainly can't see the planet, you can step outside tonight, look south, see a star and know that we have seen a planet orbiting around that star--one of the first such sightings in history.

• Feb 20 -- Lunar eclipse visible from western USA.
• 1/29; 7/9; 9/21; 11/12 -- These events may appear on calendars as occurring on the following date due to the time of the event occurring near midnight. Therefore, time zone changes will result in date changes.
• Aug 1 -- Total solar eclipse visible from Siberia, Mongolia, China. NASA map here.
• Aug 16 -- Partial lunar eclipse not visible from the US.
• Aug 1 & 30 -- Two New Moon events in the same month.

Data about bright passes of the International Space Station can be found on our Night Sky Calendar.

Click the "Night Sky Calendar" link above to see calendar information on the Moon, seasons, and other interesting events.